Where can you go for the best tips on direct response copywriting? Brian Kurtz, executive vice president of Boardroom Inc., rattled off a lot of good advice during his keynote presentation, "Dinosaurs & Cowboys: Direct Marketing Secrets Every Marketer Needs to Know Whether You Are Selling Online, Offline or Both." One of the points he covered was a list of best, most enlightening books of copywriting.
We didn't have a slide for that list, though, and many audience members asked to see the list so they could check the books out. Here is that list, Brian Kurtz's top picks for copywriting tips, along with links for more information on each of them.

Brian, you cad — not the copywriter’s handbook, which Ogilvy said every copywriter, including himself, should read? Seriously?

Paul Ramirez

Nothing by Bob Bly? This is an INCOMPLETE list!

Lisa Castonguay Evans

Brian! You are brilliant, as always. SO good to hear your voice/see your smiling face (if only online)! Thanks for sharing your knowledge–again! You are amazing!!

Brian Kurtz

Being called a cad by Bob Bly certainly is the low point of my day…sorry for the omission…I was rattling off a list quickly and it’s all Thorin’s fault for putting me on the spot! :-). (Just kidding, Thorin).

Bob’s Copywriter’s Handbook was an obvious omission. It belongs on the list, right near the top.

And while I’m at it, two others I wished I mentioned: Sugarman on Triggers and Michael Masterson "Ready Fire Aim." Hope I headed the two of them off at the pass from calling me out as well!

And don’t forget Bencivenga’s Bullets…and his "Bencivenga 100" event DVD’s might be the best video of all time.

Sorry again Bob!

Scott Martin

Solid list, Brian, and thanks for sharing. Going through Breakthrough Advertising for the umpteenth time. Dense but worth it.

Jay Stevens-stoler

How can Denny Hatch and Jeffery Lant make the top 15 list and not Bob Bly? You may want to recalculate.